I’m fascinated by how energy storage is often the limiting factor for all kinds of portable or autonomous devices. Robots, UAVs, and electric cars, obviously, but also things like cell phones, as they become more powerful – if I unplug my HTC Sensation at 7 am, it’s dead by 6 pm with moderate use. Apple doesn’t offer a “4G” (HSPA+ or 3GPP LTE) version of the iPhone because they know that the energy consumption of those radios leads to short battery life, which negatively impacts the user experience.

If I recall correctly, BigDog had a gasoline or diesel generator built into it. The energy density of fossil fuels is just so incredible…

It is theoretically possible to create a battery with the energy density of gasoline. Practical implementation and production is still a long way off. But that’s the single most meaningful technological achievement on the visible horizon. But we can’t have light autonomous robots until we have high energy density batteries.

Does anyone else not notice the irony that this video was posted on the blog used by a man who wrote “The Great Stagnation?” Though I haven’t read Cowen’s book (it’s on the list), does he actually discuss the singularity?

Doesn’t singularity mean intellectual superiority over human beings rather than the ability to mimic human beings’ movements? It doesn’t require a human-like shape at all, and it isn’t any nearer with this cool toy than it was without.